Nehemiah's brother arrived from Judah with some bad news:
the Israelites living in Jerusalem were in great trouble.
After hearing about their plight, Nehemiah fasted and prayed to the Lord for several days.
During this time, he discovered God wanted him to ask the king of Persia for help.
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that helps us center our attention on the Lord
and discover His will so we may act according to it.
People fast in different ways:
some abstain from food while others refrain from various activities.
The period of time can vary as well.
But the focus in each case is to be the same—to seek God and know His will.
When we begin to deny ourselves, several things happen.
First, the Holy Spirit will enable us to set aside earthly matters.
Relationships, work, and pleasure will take a lesser place in our mind
as we concentrate on Him and His purposes.
Second, our attention will shift from ourselves to the Lord.
Thinking will become clearer,
and our ability to understand God's plans will sharpen
because we are not distracted by other things.
Third, the Lord is probably going to do some spiritual housecleaning in our lives.
His Spirit will convict us of sinful attitudes or behavior.
Upon confession of our sin, we'll be forgiven and cleansed (1 John 1:9).
When unexpected news greets us,
we—like Nehemiah—may find our emotions in turmoil.
He wisely sought the Lord through fasting and prayer.
This powerful practice can also help us to hear clearly from our heavenly Father,
who knows the best way through every situation.
Fasting has two important components.
One is abstention from food or activities, which eliminates distractions.
The other is undivided attention on God, which allows connection with Him on a deeper level.
Daniel was living under captivity in Babylon
when he read God's promise to free the Israelites after a certain period of time.
He earnestly sought the Lord by means of prayer and fasting (Dan. 9:2-3). Then through the angel Gabriel, God gave the young man greater understanding of what He had previously pledged.
Scripture has other examples as well.
When King Jehoshaphat learned that a powerful army was on the offensive,
he called for all Judah to come together and fast (2 Chron. 20:1-4).
God gave encouragement and strength for the future.
Fasting was also part of the early church's preparation for choosing its first missionaries.
The Holy Spirit directed the commissioning of Barnabas and Saul for the work (Acts 13:2).
Fasting does not bring us a quicker answer from God
or persuade Him to follow our plan.
Instead, it prepares us to see our situation through His eyes
and to act on what we learn.
At times I have sought the Lord to get His assessment of how I am doing.
This discipline has helped me gain His perspective on my life and work.
Fasting involves a strong desire to hear from God,
a period of time to connect with Him,
and a willingness to abstain from food or some activity.
If the idea intimidates you,
remember its purpose is preparation so we might draw closer to God
and receive His encouragement and direction.
Copyright 2011 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org.
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